Pre-eclampsia experiences

[Proudmummy67]

I'm 34+4 weeks and have been admitted into hospital due to high blood pressure and 2+ protein in my urine. So far medication hasn't brought my blood pressure down.
Has anyone else experienced this? What ended up happening?
I did have a growth scan a couple of days ago and they believed baby was around 6lb.

Yes I was induced early.
Mine was a lot smaller than your estimated baby size and she was fine (better than they expected really).

I was slightly further ahead. I was admitted at 37 weeks and booked in to have a section at 39 weeks. So they kept me in a week and brought the section forward to 38 weeks.

I know it was 40 years ago, but my mum spent 4 weeks in hospital when she was pregnant with my siblings (twins) when she had pre-eclampsia. I'm not sure they'd do that nowadays though!

Thanks so much for your replies!

Before your babies were induced what treatment did you receive? Did they manage to get your blood pressure down etc?

I was 40 weeks when I was induced because of preeclampsia. throughout the hospital stay I was constantly monitored. My BP was high and to control this I was put on tablets. My urine and bloods was also checked every so often.

The whole induction process for me wasn't a pleasant one and I was almost about to throw in the towel when she decided to arrive. I was in hospital for 6 days after this but this was also because my placenta didn't detach and had to be manually removed.

All symptoms of preeclampsia reversed soon after birth. The consultants weren't too worried but once they know you have it they just keep a close eye on you to ensure you and baby are safe.

I was admitted around 34/35 weeks with dc1 and then induced at 37 weeks as my BP stopped coming down with the medication. All went well and baby was born 7lb4oz. Best of luck op 🍀

I developed pre-eclampsia around 34 weeks in both my pregnancies. But due to my own idiocy (first baby) and an admin error (second baby), it wasn't officially picked up and acted on until 36 weeks.

I was admitted to hospital, where I stayed until after baby was born. For treatment, I had Labetalol twice a day, but I can't remember the strength sorry. First baby I responded to medication well, but was still showing an upward trend. Second baby I responded a little too well to medication. But then the pre-eclampsia was milder that time, so could be that.

I was induced both times (or at least started) at 37 weeks. First baby was born at 37+1 weighing 7lb5. Second baby was born at 37+6 (delays getting down to delivery suite) weighing 8lb1.

Postnatally, I stayed on blood pressure medication for 6 weeks with my first. Though I could have been weaned off much sooner. With my second, the medication was stopped before I left hospital as my BP was still responding a little too well.

I've had pre eclampsia with both pregnancies.

First I was induced at 39 weeks and given medication to bring down BP. Was in hospital a week waiting for induction but other than that fine.

Second time it came on earlier, was induced at 37 weeks immediately as BP was higher and I was more unwell.

Blood pressure came down fairly quickly after birth, only took medication for about 3 weeks after for both. Hope you're ok OP!

My high bp was picked up at 31 weeks during a stay due to reduced movements. I was then checked weekly and on bp medication. I had a few days stay in hospital when I was 34+0 to increase the medication, then I was admitted again at 34+5. My bloods were getting worse apparently and they said I should consider being induced in the next few days. They wouldn’t let me leave the ward, even with my dh because they were concerned (I felt fine though). So I decided to get induced once the labour ward had space over the next day or two. Morning of 35+0 while waiting to be induced I hardly had any urine and that day baby stopped moving and had a static hr. So they suggested a C-section because the baby might not cope with contractions. So I had a C-section that same evening and ds was born 5lb 4oz. Hes now 7 months old and you wouldn’t tell he was 5 weeks early.

I had pre eclampsia AFTER the birth of both of my babies with significant blood pressure spike. I had to remain in hospital both times where it stabilised with medication

Thanks so much for your replies - it's given me a big insight! It's looking like I'm going to be regularly monitored now till the birth and baby will have to come at 37/38 weeks.
Did you have to give up work and go on maternity earlier than expected?

I developed preeclampsia last year with my first when I was exactly 30 weeks. My liver enzymes spiked so high they thought he was going to be delivered that night so I had the steroids and was preparing to have a section if things didn’t calm down. Luckily they did and after a few days in hospital I was able to go home but had to be monitored several times a week. After that ensued a lot of visits to triage where they basically upped the medication until I was on 3 tablets of the max strength of Labetalol they’d do.

I finished work at 33 weeks in the end as I was so stressed out with how things were going and the trips to triage. I had holiday to take as I’d saved it through the year. Things were stable for a few weeks until I hit 36 weeks which was further than I thought I’d get at 30 weeks.

When I was 36+3 I’d been for my community midwife appointment and had protein for the first time so I knew it was a triage trip no problem thought it will be like the others be there for a few hours and bloods etc then they’ll let me go. Unfortunately not this time even with different medication the blood
pressure wouldn’t go down. I ended up being admitted at 4:30 pm and he was out via emergency c section less than 5 hours later. I had HELLP syndrome and my liver was failing. They didn’t even have time to induce it was that bad. As soon as he was out my blood pressure started to go back to normal and my blood were all fine within less than 72 hours. I don’t want to scare anyone with my experience but if you’re in hospital you’re in the best place if anything does happen they can react quickly.

I’m expecting my second and so far bar one incident of high blood pressure I haven’t had any issues like I did the first time. I’ve been on no medication this time either and my stress levels have been significantly lower. It’s made a massive difference.

Hope things stabilise for you OP and you
have a safe delivery however is the safest option for you and baby.

Thanks so much for sharing your experience @rainbowtea23. You're definitely right about hospital being the best place to be!

Yes, I had to.

I was admitted with my first at 36+1. My last shift was going to be 36+2. Then I was supposed to take ~3 weeks of annual leave before starting maternity leave on my due date. Because, you know, first babies are always late.... But because I was off sick with a pregnancy related illness past 36 weeks, maternity leave kicked in immediately. All the annual leave I was supposed to take was moved to the end of maternity leave instead, so I didn't lose out on anything at least.

Same happened with my second. Except annual leave from 36 weeks, and maternity leave from 38. Because ofc it was going to happen again... But in what was perhaps the only good thing about COVID, I had been off work since 28 weeks anyway.

Yes at 29 weeks and straight into hospital. Daughter was born at 31+2 and weighed 3lb. She turned 16 last week.

Second pregnancy I took aspirin daily and didn't get pre eclampsia.

I developed pre eclampsia around 32 weeks.
On average I'd end up in the hospital overnight once a week when my blood pressure would go right up. They would up my dose of labetalol which would bring it back down for a few days and then the cycle would begin again. They then added another med but I can't remember which one now.
I was also monitored by my midwife every day or two.

This was in the first August of complete lockdown so I don't know if it would have been treated differently otherwise. They decided at 37 weeks she had to vacate. I had an induction which took about 5 days and some forceps until my daughter was born and then another 5 days after because my blood pressure was not shifting. The stays in hospital by myself was far worse than my labour though.
It took about 6 weeks post partum until I didn't need any meds or checkups.

I ended up starting maternity leave a few weeks earlier than I had planned for.
I've just found out I'm pregnant again so it'll be interesting to see if it happens again.

Before your babies were induced what treatment did you receive? Did they manage to get your blood pressure down etc?

I was given labetalol and it maintained by bp for a few weeks.

I started to develop it at 29 weeks.
I was admitted at 32 weeks and the hope was to get to 37 weeks.
At 34 weeks I received steriod injections to speed up baby's lung development.
At 34+5 I was told I had to have the baby that day as as my liver and kidneys were being affected.
I had a c section because baby no 1 was an emergency section.
She was 5lb and 5oz
After the birth baby was placed in NICU. Breathing fine but needed to be fed by an NG tube.
I was then very unwell and was in the high dependency unit for 5 days on a morphine drip.
I finally met DD on day 3.
I remained in hospital for 10 days and she was in for 12 days.
I started breastfeeding on day 7.
She had a bit of jaundice.
For her last night in hospital I had to go back in a room in with her overnight to make sure she was feeding ok.

Mostly I would say DD was pretty fine and I was pretty unwell.

She is now 11 years old and fabulous.

Did you have to give up work and go on maternity earlier than expected

Yes I had to stop at 30 weeks giving my work 2 days notice.

I was admitted to hospital and had to stay there to be monitored. I had an c section at 36 weeks as the drs actually became very concerned and then I ended up in high dependency afterwards and my blood pressure wouldn't go down. I was in hospital for almost two weeks after the baby was born (I was well recovered from the c section by the time I got home lol) and on regular gp visits and meds for several months afterwards